Final answer:
An online-only local newspaper featuring profiles and interviews with state representative candidates would be a good source for a paper on local elections, as it offers pertinent details on candidates' platforms and local issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks whether a local online-only newspaper featuring profiles and interviews with candidates for the state representative position would be a good source for a paper on local elections. It is indeed true that such a source could provide valuable insights into candidate positions, local political dynamics, and campaign strategies, making it useful for research on local elections.
Local publications often have the ability to cover nuanced local issues and elections with a level of detail that larger, national publications may not provide. As local government actions can have immediate effects on citizens, coverage of local electoral candidates could provide crucial information that might not be as readily available on a broader scale. Profiles and interviews with candidates give readers a more personal understanding of the candidates' platforms and can reveal how they might address specific local issues.
Given the changing landscape of media consumption, where traditional newspapers have adapted to an online presence and social media has become a significant platform for news distribution, an online local newspaper remains a valuable source of information for voters and researchers alike. Particularly considering the potential bias in candidates' personal websites and campaign materials, third-party reporting by local news entities can offer a more balanced view.